World’s youngest coffee grader gives back to Grand Rapids teachers

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Francesca “Frankie” Volkema Courtesy Joven Coffee

Francesca “Frankie” Volkema, who recently launched her own line of coffee to support other young folks in the industry, is celebrating National Coffee Day by giving back to some of the most important influencers in the lives of young people around the world: teachers.

For every bag of Joven Coffee purchased on jovencoffee.com between Tuesday (National Coffee Day) and Oct. 4, a bag will be donated to teachers in her local community at Grand Rapids Public Schools.

“Joven’s mission is to celebrate and highlight great coffee from young producers,” Volkema said. “So, for National Coffee Day, we wanted to celebrate those who dedicate their lives to giving young people bright futures. To be able to give back to teachers, who need a great cup of coffee now more than ever, is something I’m really excited and proud to do.”

Volkema became the world’s youngest professional coffee grader last year at just 13 years old and recently launched Joven Coffee (Spanish for “young”) to support the next generation of coffee farmers and inspire young people’s involvement in the industry.

In an industry where the average age of farmers is over 55, Joven buys coffee from farmers under 35 to encourage and support sustainability and the future of coffee.

Joven consists of two single-origin coffees, one from a collective of young growers in Cauca, Colombia, and the other from a group of young female farmers in Burundi, Africa. In launching her own line, Volkema set out to create coffees that not only taste good but also have a positive social impact.

Follow Volkema on Instagram @kidqgrader.

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